How to Check for Bed Bugs

One of the best ways to prevent getting bed bugs is to check your hotel room for bed bugs before you unpack. If you suspect that you may have bed bugs, this process can help you confirm whether or not you have bed bugs at home. If you are in a hotel room, be sure not to put your suitcase on the floor or bed until the inspection is complete. If you find bed bugs in a hotel room, take your luggage with you and request a new room. Be sure to complete the inspection again before you decide to stay in that room.

1. Check the Bedding

The first thing you should do is check the bedding. Bull the comforter or guilty all the way back and look at the sheets. If there are bloodstains on the sheets, this is a sure giveaway. You should also look for droppings, which are small and black as well as skin casings that they may leave behind.

2. Look at the Mattress and Box Springs

On the mattress and box springs, you may see rusty stains or the bed bug droppings. You may also see the bed bugs themselves or the yellow skins that nymphs shed. You may notice eggs which are very small or you may also see the bed bugs themselves. It is worth pulling the sheets all the way back.

3. Behind the Headboard

Another key place to look is behind the headboard and along the wall. You can also check behind the nightstand that is next to the bed. Again, you will be looking for the dark round droppings, the eggs and discarded skins as well as the live bugs. If you can shine a flashlight here, it may be easier to spot the bed bugs.

4. Bites

If you are worried that you may have bed bugs at home, bites are something that you should keep an eye out for. Bed bugs will bite you several times during a feeding, and the bites are usually in a straight line. Many people confuse flea bites with bed bug bites, but here’s an article for more information about fleas: Do Fleas Live on People? Whether you have flea bites or bed bug bites, you should call and request a free bed bugs inspection from the professionals at EcoTek.